Seal for shafts



s. s; ROBERTS SEAL FOR SHAFTS May 28, 1946.

Filed May 29, 1942 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 28,- 1946. s. s. ROBERTS S-EAL- FOR SHAFTS Fi led May 29, 1942 2' Sheeis-Sheef. 2

6, Is ATTORN v J/ J? 25 INVENTORZ Patented May 28, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,401,108 SEAL ron smir'rs Samuel S. Roberts, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application May 29, 1942, Serial-1N0. 445,063

' Claims. (01. 286-26) This invention is a seal for ashaft projecting through a hole in a housing, and is of the split type-permitting itsinstallation or removal without withdrawal of the "shaft from the hole through which it projects.

Specific examples of the invention are illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a multiple-plane sectional view;

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional end view;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and illustrating a detail;

Fig. 4 is a multiple-plane section of another example of the invention;

Fig. 5- is a partly sectioned end view of this second example; and, v

Fig. 6 is a detail from Figs. 4 and 5.

More specifically, these drawings show a rotary shaft I projecting through a hole 2 in a housing I of which only a part is shown. This housing may be a bearinghousing, gear-case housing, etc., the opening necessarily providing some clearance around the shaft I,- which, it is to be assumed, must be sealed against either the entrance or exit of fluid.

According to the invention, a gasket 4 is provided for application to theface of the housing 3 around the hole 2, this gasket providing an annular recessed seat 5 and having a beveled radial slit 6. A cylindrical casing sleeve 1 is adapted to fit into the seat 5, this sleeve being made of rigid material and being oppositely provided with stepped splits 8, which, in conjunction with screws 9, provide the sleeve with separable joints. It is to be understood that the gasket 4 is made of material that may be more easily elastically deformed, whereby it can properly perform its function.

A flexible axially facing channel ring I0 is con structed to flt between the sleeve 1 and the shaft I. with its convex surface in contact with the gasket 4, this channel ring having radial flanges II oppositely projecting from its edges so that when the channel ring is in the assembly under description, its inner flange bears on theshaft I, this flange having a tapered edge and functioning as a seal against the shaft I, while its outer flange overlies the outer end of the sleeve 1.

A flexible tube I2 has a diagonal closed end I! and an open end It provided with an air-check valve Ii. This tube ismade sufllciently long so that it can be looped completely around inside the channel ring' III, with its open end overlapping the overlapping open endflt neatly. As shown by the drawings, the tube I2 has 'a flattened rectangular contour, the channel ring I0 being internally shaped to receive the tube so that the latters longer diameter is arranged in a cylindrical plane. Both the tube and channel ring are made of'a material having the general characteristics of rubber; for instance, an oil-proof synthetic rubber. It follows, that by introducing fluid under pressure, such as air from a small hand pump, to the tube I2by way of its open end It through its check valve I5, the flat side walls of this tube may be expanded to force the inner flange II of the channel ring In against the shaft I. r

To complete the assembly and maintain the f tube I2 and the ring II in their proper positions;

a flat ring cover plate I6 is provided, this plate having an outer depending flange I1, which encompasses the outer edge of the outer flange II of the channel ring I0, and the upper portion of the sleeve I. The inside of this ring cover plate engages the outer flange of the channel ring I 0 h which, in conjunction with screws 22, provide and the tube I2, the cover plate having a circum-' ierential recess fitting the tube and an opening I8 through which the overlapping end of this tube projects so as to place it in an accessible position. The cover plate I8 is clamped by a plurality of cap screws I9 screwed into threaded holes formed in the outside of the housing 3, the inside of the cover plate I6 then flrmly clamping the outer flange of the channel ring I0 to the top edge of the sleeve 1, while clamping the sleeve 1 down into the seat 5 in the gasket 4, the tube I2 being likewise positioned and the convex surface of-the channel ring I0 being also forced down against the gasket 4. The inner periphery of the cover plate It is recessed, as at 20, to permit the inner one of the flanges I I of the channel rin I0 to be freely flexible, the edge of this flange functioning as a seal. The cover-plate I6 is oppositely provided with stepped radial splits 2I the cover plate with separable joints.

its diagonally closed end to a suflicient extent to- It has been mentioned -'that' in the case of each of the various parts that encircle the shaft l, radial Splits are provided so that the entire seal may be applied without disassembling the shaft I'respecting the housing 3. The channel ring ls-mainly responsible for making the seal fluid tight, and if it were provided with an ordinary split,- it might tend to leak. With this in mind, this channel ring is made of a plurality of 'laminatlons Illa and. Ilb, which are each pro-' vided with diagonal splits lie and Illd, respectivelyrand inter-related so that these splits are respectively oifset, preferably 180 apart. Therefore, when assembled, the arrangement is fluid tight.

It can now be appreciated that, although the seal disclosed is of the split'type and'enjoys the seal. Since the pressure the sealing element applies the shaft is regulated by the air pressure, or other fluid pressure, pumped into the tube l2 by way of the valve IS, the sealing pressure may be externally varied as desired without disassembling the seal.

To install the seal to an arrangement such as the housing 3 and shaft I illustrated, when the housing 3 is provided with no facilities for this purpose, holes are drilled and capped in the outer face of the housing 3 for the cap screws IS, the cover plate being used as a template for this purpose. Theseal ,five component parts are then individually slipped over the shaft and assembled, then moved together to the housing 3 and the cap screws l9 then applied to complete consists of an annular series of radially opposed plates 31 having cooperating hinge portions 38 working on a hinge ring 39, whereby the plates are hinged in circumferential alignment to radially swing oppositely. Compression spring 40 are interposed between the plates which are p0- sitioned inside the channel ring 35 with their hinged portions 38 toward the bottom of the channel ring 35, and with their swinging portions radially expanding, the flanges of this channel ring, this being effected through the ac tion of the compression springs 40. The annular series of hinged plates is positioned in this manner, by a flat ring 4| held by screws 42 engaging the outer face of the housing 33. The expanding force applied the channel ring flanges may be varied by adjustment of these screws, this forcing the hinged plates more or less into the channel ring so as to vary the compression on the springs 40.

To positively position the annular series of hinged plates, an anchorage ring 43 is provided,

4 this providing radial webs 44 which fit in an annular recess 4|a formed in the bottom of the ring 4|, and flanges 45 having transverse holes 46 through which the compression springs pass, and circumferentially directed openings 51 through which the hinge ring 39 passes. The opposed plates 31 have holes 48, and the ends of the spring are straightened axially so as to extend through these holes 48, this, in conthe assembly- When these cap screws are tightened, all parts of the seal are flrmly locked together, the channel ring Hi, which, through the inner one of its flanges seals against shaft I, being positively flxed against rotating with the shaft.

Upon assembling, a small hand air pump may be used to pump air through the valve l5 into the tube I2, the pressure applied being regulated as required to effect proper sealing. Since the channel ring In is of laminated construction, the inner edges of its flange laminations provide lips bearing against the shaft I, which are ca.- pable of working freely, yet applying flrm pressure.

In the case of the other example, a rotary shaft 3| projects through a hole 32 in a housing 33 of which only a part is shown. Here again, the

housing may be a bearing housing, a gear case housing, etc., the hole 32 necessarily providing some clearance around the shaft, which must besealed against either the entrance or exit of fluid or other material. The arrangement differs from that of the first example in that the housing 33 provides a recess 34 surrounding the opening to the hole 32, and, of course, shaft 3|. This reces -34 may be provided by an external part applied to the outer face of the housing 33, in the event it cannot be made in the housing itself.

A flexible axially facing channel ring 35 is constructed to'flt in the recess 34 so as to surround the shaft 3|, with its convex surface, or

back,-in contactwith the bottom of the recess. This ring has radial webs 36 oppositely projecting from its flange edges, the edges of the inner one of these flanges bearing against the shaft 3|, and the edges of the outer one bearing against the side wall of the recess 34. This channel ring is otherwise made like the ring ID of the first example.

In the case of this second example, the means for elastically expanding the flange of th h nel ring, are mechanical in nature. This, means junction with the holes 46 in the web 45, serving to positively position the various springs.

To permit installation of the complete seal as described in connection with the first example, the ring 4| is split into two sections which are screwed together after being placed about the shaft 3|. The channel ring 35 is made in two superimposed sections that are oppositely split as described in connection with the first example, and the hinge ring 33 is split so that the annular series of plates may be placed around the shaft and then assembled in annular form. For similar reasons, the anchorage ring 43 is oppositely split, this ring being held together after assembly about theshaft 3| by the recess 45 in the ring 4|.

I claim: 1. A seal for a shaft projecting through a hole in a housing, comprising a flexible axially facing channel ring with radial webs-projecting oppo- 2. Aseal for a shaft projecting through a hole in a housing, comprising a flexible axially facing channel ring with radial webs projecting oppositely from its flange edges and which is adapted to encircle the shaft with its inner flange edge sealing thereagainst, a flexible tube adapted to fit annularly in said channel ring and receive fluid under pressure to cause its expansion, means for rigidly clamping the outer flange of said ring to position it respecting the housing, and means for holding said tube in said channel ring, the latter being made of a plurality of laminations that. are each radially split at respectively offset locations.

3. A seal for a shaft projecting through a hole in a housing, comprising a flexible axially facing channel ring with radial webs projecting oppositely i'romits flange edges and which is adapted to encircle the shaft with itsinner flange edge sealing thereagainst, a flexible tube adapted to flt annularly in said channel ring and receive fluid under pressure to cause its expansion, means for. rigidly clamping the outer flange'oi said ring to position itrespecting the'housing, and means for holding said tube in said channel ring, the latterbeing made of a plurality oi laminations that are each radially split at respectively ofiset locations, and said tube having one end closed with its other end open for receiving the fluid under pressure and being sufficiently long to be looped into said 7 channel ring with its open end accessible.

4. A seal for a shaft projecting through a hole in a housing, comprising a gasket for applicachannel ring and said-tube while clearing said inner flange of said channel ring and having an opening through which said open end of said tube may project, and means for clamping said plate to said housing.

5. A seal iora shaftprojecting through a hole in a housin comprising a gasket ior application to the race of said housing around said hole and providing an annularrecessed seat, a cylindrical casing sleeve fitting into said seat, a flexible axially facing channel ring fitting face outwardly between said shaft and said sleeve with radial flanges oppositely projecting from its edges so the inner flange bears on said shaft and the outer flange overlies the outer end of. said sleeve,

. a flexible tube havinga closed end with anopen tion to the face of said housing around saidhole and providing an annular recessed seat, a cylindrical casing sleeve fitting into said seat, a flex? ible axially facing channel ring fltting face iout wardly between said shaft and said sleeve with radial flanges oppositely projecting from its edges so the inner flange bears on said shaft and the outer flange overlies the outer end 0! said sleeve.

a flexible tube having a closed end with an open 2 end for receiving fluid under pressure and which is sufllciently longto be looped completely around in said channel ring with its open end overlapend for receiving fluid under pressure and which is sumciently long to be looped completely around insaid channel ring with its open end overlapping outwardly, a flat ring cover plate for en- Q gaging and covering said outer flange of said pingoutwardly, a flat ring cover plate forengaging andcovering said outer flange oi'isaid a 'channelring and saidtube whileclearing saidinner flange ofsaid channel ring and having an opening through which said open end of said tube 5 may project, and means for clamping said plate to said housing, said gasket, saidsleeve, and said 

